Crocus-derived compounds alter the aggregation pathway of Alzheimer's Disease: associated beta amyloid protein

Sci Rep. 2020 Oct 23;10(1):18150. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-74770-x.

Abstract

Natural products have played a dominant role in the discovery of lead compounds for the development of drugs aimed at the treatment of human diseases. This electrospray ionization-ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (ESI-IMS-MS)-based study demonstrates that dietary antioxidants, isolated components from the stigmas of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) may be effective in inhibiting Aβ fibrillogenesis, a neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). This study reveals a substantial alteration in the monomer/oligomer distribution of Aβ1-40, concomitant with re-direction of fibril formation, induced by the natural product interaction. These alterations on the Aβ1-40 aggregation pathway are most prominent for trans-crocin-4 (TC4). Use of ESI-IMS-MS, electron microscopy alongside Thioflavin-T kinetics, and the interpretation of 3-dimensional Driftscope plots indicate a correlation of these monomer/oligomer distribution changes with alterations to Aβ1-40 amyloid formation. The latter could prove instrumental in the development of novel aggregation inhibitors for the prevention, or treatment of AD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / drug therapy*
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / ultrastructure
  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Antioxidants / isolation & purification
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use
  • Carotenoids / pharmacology
  • Crocus / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Peptide Fragments / ultrastructure
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Protein Aggregation, Pathological / drug therapy*
  • Protein Aggregation, Pathological / pathology
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Antioxidants
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Plant Extracts
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-40)
  • Carotenoids
  • crocin